o that’s her? Dorian parked his favourite black escalade in one of the purpose built street-side parking bays and lowered his window to look out across the street. He lowered his sunglasses to look over the top of them at Jessica Garland. He’d driven straight from the Pack House, where a very unexpected meeting took place, and resulted in Dorian being put on a monitoring rota for the latest human in town. 

Flash back. 

“Welcome everyone.” Dorian stood vigil behind his Luna, and once again thought about how impressive she was in her role. How she knew when to put her pack mates at ease, and when to bring them under paw. With the pack dispute meeting, she was claws and jaws, and dominated everyone. When hosting meetings in the Pack Master’s office, she had the right balance of warmth that drew in the other wolves, and intensity to make it clear she would be obeyed. It was clear she meant business, as she wasn’t wearing her usual pink scrubs. She’d allowed her second to select for her a dark green halter-neck body con dress, a black dress suit jacket, and glossy black heels. The air around her was filled with more of her scent than usual, making it clear she was going to be the one leading this meeting, not Caleb. Good. As it should be. Dorian personally thought she surpassed Caleb in every way, aside from her experience as a werewolf. Once she had time under her belt, she could easily run this pack on her own. If anything happened to Caleb, she would rule, because if anyone came for the role of Pack Master, Dorian would end them. Just as he would be Caleb’s second again if anyone tried to take his title from him, simply to keep Emma in her role as the Luna. 

The meeting itself was most unexpected, for everyone in attendance, other than Jake Stevens. The Omega was practically bouncing with energy as he walked into the office. His husband wasn’t with him today, as this wasn’t a meeting regarding the security of the pack. Maxwell arrived, another Omega, and was openly confused by his summons. Frankie sat on the side of the desk beside Caleb, and Vanessa did the same beside Emma. That was fine with Dorian. He was more than happy to stand behind Emma as the Luna’s Champion. He may have used an odour neutraliser before entering this office, but the dire wolf was intimidating enough without his oppressive scent. His long, thin dreadlocks were half up and fastened in a simple, but elegant silver hair grip. It matched the silver tube beads scattered here and there throughout his locs. His thin beard framing his jawline and his moustache were freshly trimmed. He wore another Armani suit, black, with a grey shirt beneath his waistcoat and silver cufflinks. Even Vanessa had to give him a nod. That man knew how to dress. 

The meeting itself was brief and to the point. Emma told the group that Jessie had, in fact, moved to Glen Valley to be close to her. Even Dorian tensed and waited to find out what she would say next. Thankfully, she’d grown into her role as the Luna, and knew that it would be impossible to keep the pack’s secret indefinitely. Jessica Garland would become pack. 

“Ah, now I see why I’m here.” Maxwell smiled and nodded, his wavy blonde hair tousled from the movement. “I’m going to be her transition mentor.” He moved his trusty satchel onto his lap and took out a notebook and biro to start taking notes on his newest student. 

“I don’t see the need for that, surely?” Jake shifted in his seat and addressed Emma directly. Maxwell lifted his head and raised a brow at the doctor.

“Why not?” Max asked before Emma could answer either way. “I’ve been successful in being the transition mentor for the last two new werewolves to join our pack. As per the Luna’s instruction and new initiative for how we introduce new wolves to Glen Valley.”

“Yes, and you’ve done a good job.” Jake went for the ego rub first, but behind his kind smile was a snarling papa wolf. “But in those two examples, both Caleb and Frankie were new to being a Sire. I am not.” Jake’s smile grew, as did the snarling behind his eyes. “They are also high ranking members of the pack and very busy, so your assistance was useful. I, on the other hand?” Jake confidently sat back in his chair with his arms draped over each armrest. “Am experienced. I sired Tim, who was also an outsider at the time. I’m also an Omega, instead of a blunt Alpha, and naturally nurturing on top of that, being a father.”

“As am I.” Max’s smile also grew, as his inner wolf rose to the challenge. The Luna had honoured him with the role of transition mentor, and Jake was trying to encroach on his turf. Emma’s mouth was open and she darted her eyes from each of the barking Omegas before her. Caleb was letting letting her run this meeting, but he would step in if she didn’t settle them down soon. “I also happen to be a teacher. I’m literally qualified to educate others, and my knowledge of werewolf biology makes me ideal to oversee the transitional period of a new werewolf.” 

“Boy, I’m a doctor with more specialities than you have fingers. You can put your cute biology degree back in it’s pretty little box, darling.” Jake’s sass-edged tongue whipped at Maxwell, and Caleb cleared his throat. He was hoping to prompt Emma into putting her paw down, but she didn’t. She chewed her bottom lip and seemed to be weighing up both sides of the argument. It’s true that Max has done a good job as a transition mentor. It’s why I invited him here. Frankie was happy with having Max involved in helping both Nella and Ruby learn how to be a werewolf. But Jake also has a point. Fido sat beside her keeper and they discreetly shared a look. Jake does have more than enough experience and knowledge to handle all of it himself. But he doesn’t have to. Yet he clearly doesn’t want to share his role with another. He is being territorial of his new pup, and he hasn’t even bitten her yet. I’m not sure that’s reassuring me, Fido. Isn’t it? Jake is right. He’s been a sire before, and he has more knowledge regarding the process, transitioning, and any biological questions Jessica may have than Maxwell. If he is more than equipped and qualified for the task ahead of him, why are we interfering? 

“Cute little-do you even have the energy necessary to handle a new feral werewolf? Old man?” Max’s hackles were raised, and he was trying to hide how embarrassed he felt in front of the Luna. 

“More than enough. Would you like a demonstration?” Jake moved forward in his chair, and that was enough. Dorian leaned down to whisper something to Emma. He was going to suggest she stop the potential challenge unfolding before her before it could be made. Caleb saw this move, and reacted before the Luna’s champion could utter a single word. 

“Settle down.” Caleb barked, and Emma snapped her head away from her conversation with Fido. Dorian stood upright again and sneered. In his mind, Caleb hadn’t given the relatively new Luna the chance to deal with the issue. Then again, he was the Pack Master, and it was his right to bring any wolf in the pack into line. “There will be no squabbling.” Caleb eyed them with a cold, hard, icy stare, before turning his chair. He turned Emma’s chair so they faced each other and he raised a brow at her. “Jessie has moved to Glen Valley and must therefore become pack. That’s my call. But she’s your best friend, so I’m letting you handle the logistics of making her one of us. You said you want Jake to sire her, fine.” On the other side of the desk, Jake beamed with a smile and his chin lifted a little higher. “You summoned Max here to be a transition mentor, because he’s done a great job with the last two new wolves.” Max smirked and threw Jake a ‘see?’ look. “But Jake has a point. He says he doesn’t need Max. He’s snarkily made his case as to why. Normally, I would make this call. But I’m deferring to you, as she’s your best friend.” Dorian smirked, knowing that wasn’t the entirety of it. Caleb was also putting this into Emma’s hands, because if anything went wrong, Caleb didn’t want to incur Emma’s wrath. 

Emma chewed her bottom lip and her eyes drifted over Caleb’s shoulder to look at Fido. The first Luna lifted up and nodded in agreement with her keeper. Trust your instincts. 

“Okay.” Emma cleared her throat and turned to smile at the two Omegas holding their breathe for her verdict. “Jake is confident that he can handle Jessie’s transition.” 

“Yes.” Jake said under his breath in victory. 

“Jake, you don’t want another chef in your kitchen, then fine. However?” She turned her chair to face them both and interlocked her fingers on the desk. “I would like Max to have check-in meetings with her. Maybe once a week once she’s turned? Having someone impartial to speak and vent to can be very therapeutic. If she could have some sort of welcome back ready for her to read through, that would be useful too.”

“Of course.” Max smiled, glad to still have his role intact, even if from a less hands on point of view. “I can have the welcome pack ready next week, so you have plenty of time to review it before the next full moon.” 

“Oh, that’s great, but she’s not being turned this full moon. So we have well over a month to settle and prepare Jessie before she’s bitten.” Jake and Max both looked to Caleb for confirmation. He nodded, confirming it, and Dorian gritted his teeth behind his stoic expression. How dare they not simply accept the word of their Luna? 

“As our Luna said? Miss Garland will not be turned this full moon-” Vanessa finally spoke, and she had an edge to her tone that Dorian respected. The blonde bombshell was also displeased with Emma’s decree not being accepted right away. “-and having reflected on the previous black alerts, the Luna and I agree that there were too many close calls. If any of the dire wolves in the pack go feral, or there is a hunter sighting and we need to shift and respond to the risk right away, there is a risk of Miss Garland seeing us. Rather than being reactive, we need to be proactive.” She got up from her chair, looking sleek in her pointed shoulders white blouse, and black pencil skirt. The sleeves billowed to her cuffs, and her shoes had golden underlays. “Here is a rota for watching and guarding her from any wolf-related mishaps. As you can see, the Luna is down for a lot of the nanny shifts.” Emma smirked at that remark. Mainly because she knew how Jessie would feel about anyone ‘nannying’ her. “Jake, as her sire you will see that you have your shifts to compliment your clinic hours, and you will be expected to spent more time with her the closer we get to the full moon. Any adjustments to the rota must be cleared by the Luna first.”

“Of course.” Jake accepted an offered print out and scanned his eyes eagerly over the time table. Emma had the lion’s share, as was expected, and he was a close second. Venessa was on there, as were a few other pack mates that would need to be introduced to Jessie ahead of time. Thankfully there were blocked off areas that would line up with regular clinic hours. Jessie dropped enough hints last night at ‘girl’s night’ that she was hoping to see if Glen Valley could use another nurse, that it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to get her a job at his clinic. Werewolves were very resiliant to disease, so normally Jake dealt with injuries as they healed, and assisted in the delivery of new pups with Emma and the other midwives. Still, it would be nice to have a fresh face at the clinic with him. Work would go a long quicker with her giggling and cheeky antics. He was already smiling, and couldn’t wait to call Jessie and ask to see her credentials. You know, so it was all above board when he hired her. 

Jake had hoped to have time with Jessie today, but alas, his name was not the one on today’s shifts. Everyone was surprised to see who’s name was down for today. “Dorian is on this rota?” Jake spoke up, and even the man himself raised a brow with surprise.